Chapter 10

"Do we really need a heart to love?"

"I am not going to be tricked into going on a blind date," Tala scowled and folded his hands across his chest. "I can't believe that you all lied to me about coming to this restaurant. Family dinner, my foot!"

"It is a family dinner. You just have to sit at another table with your date!" offered Diana, grinning.

Tala gave her a murderous look.

"Tala's right, Diana. You shouldn't have tricked him like that," Kai said, faking a very innocent look.

"You are saying that to win the date-bet," said Jennifer shrewdly picking up the plan. "Tala is going on this date and that's final." She dragged Tala, who struggled but failed to get out of her vice-like grip, and made him sit down at the assigned table.

Tala sighed and opened the menu. He didn't feel like eating but he wanted something to do. Sitting there in the gaze of his friends made him feel immensely uncomfortable. He set the menu down and looked through his phone. His eyes stopped at a picture. Anna.

He remembered taking it in their garden. He had looked up at Anna and her presence had made him so happy that he had just lifted his phone and captured the moment.

His eyes traced the photo. The way the wind picked strands of her blonde hair and she tried to tie them. She had caught him staring and smiled.

He couldn't just move on. It was impossible. He couldn't just find another girl to fill Anna's place. How could he when he dreamt of her every night and thought of her every moment of day? When it hurt just to remember how perfect everything had been and how he could never go back to that kind of easy happiness? It was worse to hide his feelings but he had to. The constant repetitions of sympathy and looks of pity that he got from everybody had been driving him crazy. However, he could fool everybody but not himself.

"Tala?"

Tala scowled and looked up. His eyes widened. A girl stood there. She had blonde and green eyes. She smiled as she caught him staring and said, "I am Alice."

She looked too much like Anna. What kind of joke was this? Did they really feel they could get an Anna lookalike and everything would be fine?

The girl had sat down by now. "Are you okay?" she asked.

The expression of shock mingled with anger must have been evident on his face. He pushed back his chair, ready to get out of the place when-SPLASH!

Around half a dozen of glasses filled with some sticky drink fell over him. As the liquid drenched his clothes, Tala heard a snicker. Definitely Ian. Somebody was going to die.

"Oh my God!" Alice emitted a low scream and hurried over to his side, daintily dabbing him with her small handkerchief. He brushed her off. He took of his jacket. He was drenched to the skin. He was not staying in this place for a second longer.

"Sorry, Anna-I mean, Alice, this can't work," he nearly ran out of the restaurant.

Leaning against a tree, Tala checked for people. No one. He took off his t-shirt and felt his left arm and chest. Soaked. Better to check for short-circuiting. He pulled off the fake skin and was pleased to see his mechanic heart and arm quite dry. Thank God for waterproof material.

Someone screamed in his ear. It was Alice.

He tried to cover up his cyborg side but she cried, "What are you? Some kind of-"

He stopped, "What?"

She shook her head and began to walk backwards.

"Some kind of what?" he shouted. What had Anna said in her letter? Robotic behaviour…half-cyborg…incapable of understanding the meaning of love… "Go on, say it," he took a step towards her.

"Stay away from me," Alice screamed and ran.

Tala did not bother stopping her. He put a hand on his mechanic heart and felt the ticking of pump clock. Why couldn't it beat? He had almost forgotten the rhythm of a normal heart. Tick-tock went his heart. No beats. He was inhuman…

Ian was the first one to respond when Tala walked in, "Oi, Tala. You've been gone a few hours. We saw Alice chase after you." Tala looked around the rented cottage. Everybody was looking at him expectantly. Ian continued, "I wonder what you two did for these three hours." He winked.

Tala scowled and ignored him.

"What happened?" Jennifer asked.

"She saw my mechanic limb and heart, freaked out, told me to stay away and ran," Tala replied dully.

Kai was sorry for him. Tala knew this even before stealing a glance at his best friend.

Nobody said anything for what seemed like eternity until Diana spoke up, "Sorry." Jennifer nodded, "Me too. I chose her and I am sorry."

Tala shrugged and went to his room.

There is some problem with my internet again. Uhhh! I am still trying to put this up. Whenever I upload this chapter it comes as a blank so I have decided I will try to update it like that only. God save me!

According to the reviews, majority thinks Diana and Jennifer will win. Well, well, well…we gotta wait and watch :)

Please give me ideas for HORRIBLE dates. *evil laugh* I need lots of them to choose from and get inspired :)

Thanks to Ansarinaemah, Gingercookiessnaps, SMRA, (I knew it was you, SMRA! I recognise your reviews :) You know what is the scariest thing? Writing a new character and I am so happy that you liked Giselle. Hehe "Betting is a sin" speech was relatable…yay! Aha…I love people who side with Diana :D Seeing your review I am determined to write more of Diana. Thanks and RR!), Superkami, Rangerapprentice, Pure White Mochi and Susan sewell (You wrote your old name this time ;) Hey! And thanks you for always appreciating the chapters. I am always surprised that my humour actually works :'D and OMG! You remembered about lovepsarkonline!? That's awesome! Reminded me too. Thanks and RR!) for reviewing!

Sorry for the late update and any and all typos/errors!

And remember to REVIEW and let me know what you thought of Tala's disastrous date! You must have noticed that I changed Tala's cyborg status a bit to suit the story!